Endless track for track-laying vehicles



Jan. s, 1929. 1,697,874 D. J. LUCKETT ENDLESS TRACK FOR TRACK LAYINGVEHICLES Filed Feb. 19, 1925 VHS H9 8 5 mm 13-1.1 Lucket Patented Jan.8, 1929.

i DINWIDDIE J. LUCKETT, on DAVENPORT, Iowa.

:ENDLEss TRACK non franck-Lemus vnnicnns.

.Application filed February 19, 1925. Serial No. 10,339. l'

(GRANTED UNDER THE aci` or MARCH s, 1883, As. AMENDED irait so; 192e;37o c. G. 757.)

The invention describedl herein may be` manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon. Y

The subject of this invention is an endless track for track layingvehicles.

Inv universally connected endless tracks having a tubular trackway, asdesclosed in Patent #1,440,243, the cylindrical bearing block mounted ineach link for-carrying the connecting bolt is subject to become detachedor unthreaded on flexing of the track or undue rotation of the adjacentlink.V When the cylindrical block is integral with or permanentlysecured to the link it is necessary to so construct the link as to gainaccess to the nut on the bolt'for assembling or disassembling the track,while the threaded type of block must be formed with an external portionand it is also necessary to provide a clamp for holding 4thejblockagainst unthreading.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide means forperforming the dual function of driving lug and retainer for the block;to provide means whereby the joints will be under a constant pressure oflubricant so as to prevent incursion of foreign substances; and topermit adjustment of the connecting bolt to allow for wear of thejoints.

To these and other ends, my invention consists in thek construction,arrangement, and combination of elements, described hereinafter andpointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

A practical embodiment of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, wherein: v

Fig. l is a longitudinalsectional view taken through adjacent linksections of a track constructed in accordancel with the invention andshowing the spring actuated diaphragm par-l tially retracted;

Fig. 2 is a sectional Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 in which view on the line 2-2 of thediaphragm is reversed and partially retracted.

Referring to the drawing by numerals of reference:

According to the invention the endless track consists of identical linksections 5, each section comprising a shoe or grouser 6 to the innerside of which is secured a tubular member 7 constituting the rail ortrack way for the supporting rollers of the vehicle.

One end of the tube 7 is contracted as at 8 v Ato present aheini-spherical surface co-.acting with a surface of similar curvatureformed'in the other end 9 of an adjacent tube and also with theconnecting means carried by said adlcomplete the universal oint betweenadjacent link sections. The bolt and block are retained in place bymeans of agdriving pin 14 which passes transversely through theA tube`and block and lits in a groove 15 on the bolt. The groove 15 is ofgreater breadth than the portion of the bolt disposed therein so as toprovide for longitudinal adjustment of thebolt by means of thecastellatednut 16 when the bearing surfaces of the joint have becomeworn. The driving pin 14.-,is secured by removable pins 17 engagingtherewith and conveniently inserted through aperturesrin webs 18 oneitherside of the tube-7.

vLubricantfor iillingthe chamber 19. may

be introduced through passages 2O in thefdriving pin for which a screwplug 21 is provided and through a passage 2Oa in the block for which aspring valve 2Gb is provided. Within the chamber 19 is a diaphragm 22movable to maintain the lubricant under pressure through a spring 23abutting against a shoulder 24 in the tube 7. The lubricant passes tothe universal joint through an aperture 25 in the block 12 and serves toprevent the incursion of foreign substances.

For the purpose ofpreserving the tightness of the jointthere is provideda packing ring 26 which is held by a spring 27 in close contact with theexternal portionof the contracted end 8.

In assembling the track, the bolt is placed in position in the tube, andthe packing ring, block, and nut are added to the projecting shankoflthe bolt. rl`his unit is then inserted in the full size end 9 ofanother tube whence the assembly maybe completed by means of thetransversely disposed driving pin 14.

lt is obvious that pressure may be exerted in the opposite direction,that is, against the .tion of the curvature of the end 9 whereby tosphericalhead of the bolt'y as ,illustrated in Figure When arranged inlthis manner the lubricant Would be passed through an axialv passage 28in the bolt, the spring 23 being' seated against the block 12';

While in the foregoing there has been illustrated and described suchcombination` and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferredembodiment of my invention, it is nevertheless desiredto emphasizeVY thefact` that interpretation of the invention should only be conclusiveWhenniade in .the` light of the .subjoined claims.

Iclaim: l. An endless track linkshaving coacting spherical surfaces attheiradjacent ends,a block having a spheri-` calfaceiin eachilink, apacking ring inter-1 posed between the block and adjacent-link, a

bolt passing .throu gh'the block, said bolt provided- Witha groove andVhaving a.hemispherical Ihead disposed Within the adjacent link, aydriving pin passing transversely through; each linkand block andengaging in the grooveof thebolt, said pin having a passagefon`adinissionof lubricant into theliiik, means forv moving-thebolt`longitudinally to adjust for Wear, aidiaphragm in the link, and

a springifor movingthe diaphragm to maintainv the .lubricant underpressure.

2. Anf` endless track embodying tubular links having coacting curvedsurfacesat their adgacent rends, a block having a .curvedwface in eachlink, a bolt passing through the block,

said bolt :provided with a groovean-d having a curved head-disposedWithin the adjacenty link, a;` driving, pin passing transverselythrough, ,cache linkiandblockand 4eng-aging in the groove of the bolt,said pin having a passageA-foinadmission of lubricant into the'.1iiik,`y

embodying tubular for universally coniiectingthe links, (a driving pinpassing transversely through eachV link and connectin` means forretainino'said c; i: n

`means Within the-link, said pin having apas-l sage for admission oflubricant, aiidmeaiis;

for maintaining'the lubricant underpressure.

5. An endless track embodying tubular links having coacting Ycurvedsurfaces, means for universally connecting the links, a drive ing pinpassingtransversely through each f link and connecting meansforretaining said means, and means for `maintainingya lubricaii tuiider'pressure Wit-hin each link.

6.Y An endless track'v embodying links, ad-v justable means foruniversally'connect-ing the links,- an-d a driving pinipassingtransversely through eachr link and connecting means-for;-

retain-iiig said' means in place."

7.' An endless trackembodyingv means for universally connecting thelinks,

and driving pin passing transverselyA through each link and connectingmeans for retaining said Emeans'iii place.

DiNWiDDiEJ-LLUGKETT;l

